Light primer strikes with 625

Hard Cast 44 · October 1, 2000, 10:16 PM

Took my new to me 625 out tonight for the first time. Had a bunch of 200 gr SWC from the 1911 laying around. I had many light primer strikes with these loads in the full moon clips while shooting dbl action. I have been useing Winchester primers for a while. It never happened in single action. Love the gun but when a revolver hammer falls and dosnt go bang it is really a surprise. The gun had only been test fired before I got it. Manufacture was last year. Any help out there? Thanks TED

George Stringer · October 2, 2000, 07:01 AM

HC44, the hammer could be rubbing on something. You could have hard primers. You might try tightening the mainspring tension screw. Or you could send it back to S&W. George

Mikey · October 2, 2000, 06:25 PM

The most common cause of this failure with most S&W revolvers is the hammer spring tension screw. It can be backed off manually to lighten trigger pull or sometimes work loose from firing causing a weak hammer blow.

However, since yours is new and since it's a 625, the problem could also be full moon clips with a slight "spring" to them. The springy clips absorb some of the hammer blow and you get light strikes. Several 625 shooters mentioned this phenominon at the IDPA Championships. I talked to one fellow at length since a 625 was on my "buy" list.

His fix: first, clamp all new full moon clips in a vise to make them as flat as possible and then run them thru a surface grinder to make them guaranteed flat. I have no idea why he clamps them first...I would just have them ground.

This is all here-say since I've not experienced it personally but it sounds right.

Mikey

9x45 · October 2, 2000, 07:36 PM

My 625 had some light strikes out of the box, I just cranked in the spring tension screw about a half turn, and problem solved. Never heard of moon clips being that far out of flat, and then to surface grind them? You would spend hours deburring the things so as not to cut your fingers to load them.

Hard Cast 44 · October 2, 2000, 08:23 PM

Thanks guys, M Irwin over on reloading I think helped me with the problem. I havn't had the time to go back to the range but it appears that some of my primers were not fully seated and the first hammer blow was actually seating them and the second blow would cause them to fire. I never had a problem with these loads in my Kimber, Go figure. I'll let you know how it turns out. Thanks for the help, TED

James K · October 2, 2000, 09:49 PM

Those revolvers do not need clips to fire; try it without them and if OK that way, then work on the clips as Mikey suggests. If the same problem exists without the clips, then the fault could be primer seating or something else.

Jim

marsh · October 6, 2000, 07:32 PM

Hate to disagree but the newer 625's absolutely need the clips to fire. My 625-6 allows the cartridge to sit flush with the cylinder without the moon-clips. When I queried S&W about this, I was told this was normal and the use of clips was mandatory. I figgered f*** them and bought 1000 .45 AR cases and have no more problems.
My Model 25-2 fires fine without clips however.

marsh

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October 1, 2000, 10:16 PM	#1
Hard Cast 44 Member Join Date: September 19, 2000 Posts: 21	Took my new to me 625 out tonight for the first time. Had a bunch of 200 gr SWC from the 1911 laying around. I had many light primer strikes with these loads in the full moon clips while shooting dbl action. I have been useing Winchester primers for a while. It never happened in single action. Love the gun but when a revolver hammer falls and dosnt go bang it is really a surprise. The gun had only been test fired before I got it. Manufacture was last year. Any help out there? Thanks TED

October 2, 2000, 07:01 AM	#2
George Stringer Staff Alumnus Join Date: October 12, 1998 Location: Earlington KY Posts: 2,299	HC44, the hammer could be rubbing on something. You could have hard primers. You might try tightening the mainspring tension screw. Or you could send it back to S&W. George

October 2, 2000, 06:25 PM	#3
Mikey Senior Member Join Date: November 14, 1998 Location: Tennessee Posts: 885	The most common cause of this failure with most S&W revolvers is the hammer spring tension screw. It can be backed off manually to lighten trigger pull or sometimes work loose from firing causing a weak hammer blow. However, since yours is new and since it's a 625, the problem could also be full moon clips with a slight "spring" to them. The springy clips absorb some of the hammer blow and you get light strikes. Several 625 shooters mentioned this phenominon at the IDPA Championships. I talked to one fellow at length since a 625 was on my "buy" list. His fix: first, clamp all new full moon clips in a vise to make them as flat as possible and then run them thru a surface grinder to make them guaranteed flat. I have no idea why he clamps them first...I would just have them ground. This is all here-say since I've not experienced it personally but it sounds right. Mikey

October 2, 2000, 07:36 PM	#4
9x45 Senior Member Join Date: January 14, 2000 Location: Southern California Posts: 1,089	My 625 had some light strikes out of the box, I just cranked in the spring tension screw about a half turn, and problem solved. Never heard of moon clips being that far out of flat, and then to surface grind them? You would spend hours deburring the things so as not to cut your fingers to load them.

October 2, 2000, 08:23 PM	#5
Hard Cast 44 Member Join Date: September 19, 2000 Posts: 21	Thanks guys, M Irwin over on reloading I think helped me with the problem. I havn't had the time to go back to the range but it appears that some of my primers were not fully seated and the first hammer blow was actually seating them and the second blow would cause them to fire. I never had a problem with these loads in my Kimber, Go figure. I'll let you know how it turns out. Thanks for the help, TED

October 2, 2000, 09:49 PM	#6
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	Those revolvers do not need clips to fire; try it without them and if OK that way, then work on the clips as Mikey suggests. If the same problem exists without the clips, then the fault could be primer seating or something else. Jim

October 6, 2000, 07:32 PM	#7
marsh Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 1999 Location: New Mexico Posts: 126	Hate to disagree but the newer 625's absolutely need the clips to fire. My 625-6 allows the cartridge to sit flush with the cylinder without the moon-clips. When I queried S&W about this, I was told this was normal and the use of clips was mandatory. I figgered f*** them and bought 1000 .45 AR cases and have no more problems. My Model 25-2 fires fine without clips however. marsh